Ghana Is A Winner

Any Chief Executive appearing before his or her shareholders to render account is always proud to list the significant achievements of the corporation for the year under review.

Sometimes, the shareholders also take the microphone to commend or condemn based on how well their investments have been taken care of by the trustees.

 As a shareholder of Ghana Incorporated, I would like to make a contribution, looking at the year under review, knowing that my investment has not been in vain and the dividend is somehow fulfilling.

Beyond our borders, Ghana Incorporated is no doubt a winner.

We started the year well. Our Black Stars shone at the African Cup of Nations making it to the third place. Even though it fell short of the expected gold, we went home with a bronze.

 That is okay. Then Ghana sat side by side at banquet with the Head of State and the Queen of England, Her Royal Highness, Queen Elizabeth II, at the ceremonial banquet room at the prestigious Buckingham Palace where our President was the guest of honour.

By courtesy of Ghana Television, we watched live, a colourful account of the state visit of our President, John Agyekum Kufuor, to England earlier this year.

The visit boosted some morale as our beloved country received that highest honour accorded countries and Heads of States within the Commonwealth who have proved deserving.

I went to bed that night on cloud nine because for me as an image builder, Ghana's international reputation had been uplifted by that highest honour from the Queen of England, the non-partisan Head of State of no mean country, Head of the Commonwealth of Nations, and a respectable monarch.

We did not need anybody to write it for us. The event spoke loudly for our beloved country and its leader.

Then came August where once again, Ghana was brought into international focus by Germany.

 According to a GNA report, Germany conferred her highest state honour, 'Bundesverstkreuz', on president Kufuor for his outstanding leadership during a two-day state visit to that country.

German President Horst Kohler in a citation said Germans had followed with admiration progress made by Ghana within the last eight years, which had made the nation a model of democracy and stability on the continent of Africa.

Yes, Ghana is going places and we must acknowledge that back home.

Just as we were settling down with the German honour, and as if that was only a teaser, the state visit of President Kufuor to America at the beginning of last week was announced - another elixir for Ghana.

As one watched on television excerpts of the welcome ceremony on the beautifully manicured lawns of the White House, it was pure genuine joy and nothing else.

The US Air Force Band beautifully rendered the Ghana national anthem as the Ghana flag hoisted high alongside the American one.

It was captivating to watch the Herald Trumpet of America performing, the two Presidents inspecting the guard of honour and the two first ladies comfortably seated watching the ceremony go on around them.

Like those Ghanaian and American spectators at the grounds of the White House, I kept stretching my neck behind my television with excitement.

I have now come to terms with the heights our country Ghana has climbed to on the international scene at a time in our world where thinking global and acting local is as good as gold.

 Any public relations practitioner will tell you that image is everything. It can open doors where others find them bolted.

Building a good image and managing a reputation is one expensive exercise that anyone can embark on from whatever angle you look at it both internally and externally.

Ghana is progressing steadily externally.

As a shareholder of Ghana incorporated, I have been passionate about the growth and prosperity of the corporation.

Nationalistic to the core, my wish is that our country also moves on to become not only a middle-income nation with shareholders enjoying decent living but also a country where life progressively gets better because of development and opportunities for its citizens.

I am looking forward to a modern society comparable to other emerging worlds where systems work and peace prevails.

A country where one can boastfully say when the pie charts are drawn, that we have also arrived and many more investors and tourists are making it a destination of choice.

Yes, Ghana has enjoyed good relationship with and has gained financial and technical support from some key members of the G8 as a result of our performance compared to some of our peers.

Success indeed is not how often you fall but how often you are able to get up when you fall.

Ghana is up; we should be proud collectively as a nation devoid of our political affiliations and celebrate our country.

Amazingly, when our children excel in foreign universities, when our citizens excel in foreign environments whether in sports, academic or business, we give commendations.

When local companies or banks excel at international events, we sing their praises in local media. Why then should we not be proud of Ghana Incorporated for the highest recognitions received?

Many times we have criticised the Western media for their dark portrayal of our continent as one of doom where only diseases, poverty and hunger thrive.

But thank God there are leaders from these same Western countries who believe that there is some good in Africa and a lot of it too to warrant state honours and respect.

The recent international honours conferred on our President and our country must be seen as meritorious. We have earned them deservedly.

These countries have their missions in our midst. They are well represented here and their representatives live in our communities with their families.

They have projects across the length and breadth of Ghana which they monitor and travel across to inspect, interacting with the beneficiary communities.

 We invite them to our events. They have access to local news and make their own assessment of what goes on in the country.

They do send reports home and advise their governments on what transpires here.

 It would be naive of us to think that the foreign embassies and high commissions here represented do not see any good in our country worth recommending to their governments.

As a shareholder and an image builder, the state recognitions from the G8 member countries have given Ghana a boosted international image that no doubt our next leader will build on.

The recognitions have given Ghana some degree of exposure.

They certainly will influence some perceptions out there to the advantage of our corporation.

Nothing is stopping us now. Ghana is our only home and we are proud of our achievements.

By Vicky Wireko